ORNAMENTAL FRUITED TREES AND SHRUBS 81 



another interesting field. Nowadays people are begin- 

 ning to appreciate the feathered world and public 

 opinion is aroused to the necessity of preserving our 

 birds. Societies have been formed with this object 

 in view and laws have been promulgated for the 

 furtherance of this purpose. Far and wide the habit 

 is spreading of fixing up boxes of various designs to 

 serve as nesting places for our feathered friends. All 

 this is very laudable, but something more is necessary 

 since birds require food, and especially during the 

 winter months, as well as houses in which to rear 

 their young. The natural food of a great number of 

 our useful birds is in part or wholly the fruits of plants. 

 Therefore, whosoever plants trees and shrubs bearing 

 succulent fruits also provides the birds with a supply 

 of food. 



The United States Department of Agriculture is 

 giving attention to this important matter and in 

 March, 1914, one of the investigators visited the 

 Arnold Arboretum for the purpose of studying the 

 plants growing there which might furnish birds with 

 winter food. "His examination revealed the fact 

 that fleshy fruits of the sort eaten by birds were still 

 hanging on the branches, and in good condition, of one 

 hundred and ten species of woody plants, and that the 

 fruit on fifteen other species, although dry, was still 



